Top Bunk
by Pinch
Summary: IteySnitch- someone's view of them as they form friendship and come to share that top bunk. Simple eh? I love slash. this is slash. slash slash slash people. I warn you one more time. slash.


Title: Top bunk  
Author: Pinch/Linly  
Disclaimer: Unless we are over the rainbow.. I dont own these boys or the movie they acted in. i *heart* Snitch tho. Just so you know.   
  
  
About three years ago, when I first came here, I noticed him. Sleeping on the floor when there are four perfectly fine open bunks, he caught my attention pretty quickly. They said he had been here for close to five months but never took up an offer on a bunk. He paid occasionally and would sleep in that corner on the floor with no blanket. He wasn't a regular; he couldn't afford to be.   
  
Not too long after my own arrival, I watched the new boy scan the room for an open bunk and select one on top. He seemed to be naive about much in this world, and I liked that. He needed to hold on to that. We quickly learned that his name meant he was a pickpocket, and he could often afford to pay for well over a week at a time. We teased him often, telling him that he should concentrate on selling more papers and stolen goods, but he would simply grin and ask us what we were talking about.   
  
The first day I saw them together was probably about a month later. They were seated in an alley behind Tibby's with a small piece of bread broken between them. I could tell that they had a connection, whether it was their shared innocence or the bread in their fingers was unclear. The smaller one had stayed at the lodging house earlier that week, but he had not been back since. I was tempted to ask where he slept when he was not with us, but I understood why they had hidden in the alley, to be alone. As I turned, holding my last morning edition in my hand, I could hear them laughing like children.   
  
They always reminded me of the younger news boys; I, on the other hand felt older than I actually was, with the weight of the world on my shoulders. I was content with watching them most of the time, listening to them laugh and hide their faces behind dirty fingers. I was watching as it all developed, I was the one who saw it all coming.   
I saw the need for one another, the way many of us needed someone. They fit together, feeding off their lack of parenting and want for attention. They could give it to each other. Together, they could understand what many of us could not.  
  
The wind's long fingers scratched at his body, raking away the cover of his shirt. A small shudder made the wood beneath his body creak, though only loud enough to disturb his sleep. He knew this was better than sleeping outside again, so he forced himself to close his eyes once more, holding his knees to his chest in an attempt to find warmth.   
Fair skin shown goosebumps in the pale light, his eyes focused once more on his friend in the corner. He didn't care anymore. After all, an offer wouldn't hurt. Pulling his thumb from his lips and pushing himself slowly off of his bed and to the floor, he shivered as the new layer of cold set upon him. He thought of bringing the blanket with him, but another move was more than he could handle. Slowly making his way, he leaned down to the Italian's ear and whispered. "I can't sleep."  
Itey opened his eyes, feeling tears pricking from the unending cold. He lifted his head far enough to see the pursed set of lips near his ear and made no reply. He felt long fingers wrap around his arm begging him to sit up. As he moved, he as if felt parts of his body that were already cold had dropped a few more degrees. The warmth of another body soon placed itself against his right side, the other boy's back to the wall. He did not speak, but listened to the air being taken in.   
  
"I'm too cold to fall asleep." He paused in silence as if thinking how to carefully phrase his next words. "I know... I know you haven't slept in a bed since..." The voice trailed off; he didn't want to mention the boy's mother's untimely death aloud. He paused as the air filled his lungs, his throat dry. "Please.." He whispered in desperation.   
  
Itey turned his head enough to see the frame of the boy next to him; it was closer than he expected. Startled, he leaned back a bit and nodded slowly, agreeing. After a moment of silence, they stood up with shaking limbs and made their way to the bed. A small rustle of skin against sheets, grunts of discomfort, and sighs of sleep exited the small area they now shared. An arm placed around one's waist, a face nuzzled against a chest, a small kiss placed atop brown hair… Eventually, they settled into the position, body heat being absorbed and slightly contained by the sheet above them.  
  
Night after night Snitch would ask, and eventually Itey would join him, longing for the warmth he had not felt in so long. As it would happen with most anyone, the connection between them strengthened. I could see it in their eyes, the natural love for one another. Both longed for heat, longed for affection, for what they had never experienced before. Everyone took notice in time, I on the other hand, knew long before.  
  
  
  
  



End file.
